Levine: Kyle Schwarber Will Be Cubs' Leadoff Man
By Bruce Levine--
MESA, Ariz. (CBS) -- It's official: Kyle Schwarber will be the Cubs' leadoff man for a good majority of the games in 2017.
Manager Joe Maddon first talked about the possibility during the Winter Meetings in December. With previous leadoff hitter Dexter Fowler joining the Cardinals in free agency, the Cubs were forced to think outside of the box.
Enter the 24-year-old Schwarber, the slugger who missed the final 159 regular-season games of 2016 with a serious knee injury. An improbable World Series hero, Schwarber has shown an ability to take pitches and get on base, making him a good fit for leadoff despite the fact that he's not fleet of foot.
Maddon was looking for impact rather than speed at the top of the lineup. Schwarber has a career .353 on-base percentage in the big leagues.
"This says that Kris Bryant is second and Anthony Rizzo is third," Maddon responded to the question of what opposing managers will think about this different lineup. "None of it will be attractive to them. There is pause involved there. If you don't pitch to him, the guys coming up next are really pretty interesting. We have to keep them healthy. With good health, you are going to see all these guys get better."
Maddon was asked for the number of games he projects Scwarber to play on his reconstructed left knee.
"One-hundred and forty sounds like the right number," Maddon said. "That is about the right number. He will play every day, but you must do that with some kind of foresight. We will not want to beat him up and have that knee bark at him. He will get a day off against a certain tough left-handed pitcher. Otherwise, you will see him out there"
The Cubs really don't have a speed player to lead off when Schwarber rests, but Maddon does have other nice options, including Ben Zobrist and Albert Almora.
"Zobrist is an option," Maddon said. "Albert (Almora) hit lefties well. You might not get the same tendency to walk. However, you can get that double in the gap or over the wall. That is what Albert can do. We will see how it goes. Maybe Addison (Russell) will be the guy. As of right now, that would be my thought."
In talking about Schwarber leading off, Maddon referenced Brian Downing, the former catcher and designated hitter who started to lift weights and add muscle mass in the late 1970s. He went from a skinny catcher with the White Sox to a slugging leadoff man with the Angels.
Downing was the first slow-footed leadoff man to have success at the top of the order in his era, boasting a lifetime .370 on-base percentage.
The Cubs don't want Schwarber to change anything in his batting approach.
"I don't want him to change anything," Maddon said. "His DNA is to see pitches and take walks. Just have good at-bats. I will have a conversation with him. The talk will be about please not changing anything. Just go up there and hit."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
